Flow control device



D66. 4, 1962 a s, HANSLEY 3,066,696

FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1960 INVENTOR.

GEORGE S. HANSLEY ATTORNEYS 3,066,695 Patented Dec. 4, 1982 3,066,596 FLGW CGNTRUL DEVICE George S. Hensley, Dayton, (lhio, assignor to The Tait Manufacturing Company, Dayton, @hio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 2, was, S-er. No. 73,352 Claims. (Cl. 137-5135) This invention relates to how control devices and more particularly to a liquid flow control valve providing for substantially unrestricted outward flow therefrom and for a regulated reverse flow over a Wide range of operating pressures.

An important object of this invention is to provide a liquid flow control device which is adapted for attachment to the open end of a pipe, which incorporates a flap valve for the generally unrestricted outward flow of liquid from the pipe, and which operates to produce a substantially constant reverse flow into the pipe over a wide range of pressures.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid flow control valve having a body formed of resilient material which includes. a flap movable outwardly to provide for flow in one direction and which further includes a passageway formed at the interface of the flap and the body which is deformable under pressure to provide a controlled and preferably substantially constant reverse flow therethrough in the opposite direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid flow control valve as outlined above which may be formed of molded resilient material and which is particularly adapted for use as a backwash control valve in a water softener to regulate the rate of flow of the backwash water to a predetermined desirable rate over a wide range of backwash pressures.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a backwash control valve for a water softener which also serves durin normal operation as a flow diverter or diffuser to spread out the flow water over the top of the softener for even flow through the softening material therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid flow control valve which promotes substantially unrestricted flow in one direction and controlled liquid flow in the opposite direction and which requires no special fittings and is easily inserted on and removed from the open end of a pipe.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

PEG. 1 is a section through a water softener showing the application of a valve constructed according to this invention to the inlet pipe of the softener;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the valve of his invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the valve; and

PEG. 4 is a section through the valve taken generally along the line l' l of PEG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, a water softener tank is shown at ltl as including a removable cover 11 through which access may be had to the interior of the tank. The tank It) includes an inlet pipe 12 through which hard water normally enters the tank and percolates down through the bed of water softener mineral or plastic, not

shown, and leaves the tank it? by way of the outlet standpipe 14 through a strainer 15. As a part of the regenerating cycle of the softening material within the tank, there is a backwashing operation during which hard water enters the tank It? through the outlet pipe 14, backwashes the softener material to loosen foreign matter, and exits through the inlet pipe 12.

It is important to the proper operation and long life of a Water softener that the rate of flow of the backwash water into the inlet pipe 12 be regulated so as to be substantially constant during backwashing over a wide range of supply pressures in order to effect the desired cleaning without dislodging the material within the tank and causing its loss or removal. It is therefore desirable to provide a flow restriction in the drain to limit the rate of backwash flow, but it is important that such restriction does not adversely affect the fast rinse cycle or decrease the efliciency of the venturi during the brine drawing cycle.

This invention provides a backwash flow control valve Ztl which may be mounted on the open end of the inlet pipe 11 and which is effective to regulate the rate of backwash flow. The valve 2t} is further effective as a diffuser or diverter to spread the incoming Water throughout the top of the material in the tank 10, thus reducing the tendency of the liquid flow to form channels and obviating the necessity of strainers in the top of the tank. The valve 20 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-4 and includes a body 21 which is formed of resilient elastomeric material, such as rubber, and is preferably molded to define an inlet opening 25 therein.

The opening 25 is formed through one end of the body 21, which may be an inner end thereof, and thereby forms an annular wall 26 in the body 21 which is adapted for force or wring fittin" over the open end of a pipe, such as the inlet pipe 12. The Wall 26 further defines a counterbore at 27 in axial relation to the opening 25 and forms an annular shoulder 23 which limits the extent of the assembled position of the valve 2d on the inlet pipe 12.

The body 21 includes means forming a slit 30 extending partially transversely of the body and in intersecting relation to the opening 25 at the counterbore 27 adjacent an outer closed end of the body. The slit 3% extends substantially normal to the axis of the opening 25, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and terminates in the body adjacent one side of the opening 25. The slit 3d is preferably formed by a dart or wedge portion of the die Within which the body 21 is molded, and the slit 30 forms a flap 32 integrally attached to the body at 35 and movable outwardly of the body 21 by swinging movement about the portion 35, as shown in broken outline in FIG. 2.. The flap 32 provides for substantially unrestricted flow of liquid outwardly from the opening 25 and, accordingly, from the pipe '12 upon which the valve 2t) may be mounted. The flap 32 may be cut away or formed of reduced section at 36 adjacent the inner end of the slit 3t) for the purpose of increasing its flexibility to outward movement.

The body 21 includes means defining a generally radially disposed passageway dtl formed in the interfaces of slit St The passageway 49 is preferably formed in the shape of a V-notch which extends through the wall 26 into the opening 25 and provides for liquid flow from the exterior of the body 21 into the opening 25. Preferably, the adjacent face 41 of the flap 32 forms one wall of the passageway ill and is deformable under increasing liquid pressure at the exterior of the valve ill to restrict the cross aoeaaae -3 section of the passageway 25. Thus the flap 32 is deformable under increasing liquid pressure to provide a substantially constant reverse flow into the pipe by restricting the cross sectional area of the passageway dtl.

it is understood that additional passageway means similar to the passageway 49 may be provided at the interface of the flap 32 and the wall 26, where desired. Also, the thickness of the flap 32 adjacent the passageway 49 and the hardness of the body 21 determines the extent of deformation by the liquid pressure in the reverse direction, and this thickness and hardness may be suitably chosen so as to achieve a substantially uniform reverse flow rate over a wide range of reverse operating pressures.

In the operation of this invention, the valve 29 is readily fitted to the pipe 12 upon the removal of the cover 11 of the water softener tank 16 by pushing the body 21 onto the open end of the pipe at the opening 25. During the normal use of the softener, the hard water enters through the pipe 12 and moves the flap 32 outwardly by swinging movement at the portion 35, and the flap 32 serves as a diffuser to spread out the flow of water evenly over the top of the softening material therein.

When it is desired to backwash the softener, the pipe 12 is opened to a drain and hard inlet Water under pressure is applied to the pipe 14. The pressure on the exterior of the valve causes the flap 32 to close and a further increase in pressure forces the material of the flap at 41 into the passageway thus reducing the cross section of the passageway 40. The sensitivity of the valve 29 to the control of liquid flow in the reverse direction may be controlled by varying the thickness of the flap 32 at the passageway 4d and/or by varying the rigidity of the material of the body 21. It has been found in tests that a substantially constant reverse flow rate of 2.7 g.p.m. may be maintained from 20 to 150 lbs. pressures within the tankwhen backwashing, with a notch of 0.156 depth forming an angle A of 75 in the body, and a flap of /8 thickness at the passageway 40 with a hardness of Shure.

Thus the invention provides a flow control valve of uncomplicated design which is readily manufactured as by a molding process and which can be installed and replaced over the open end of a pipe without the use of any tools. Since the body of the valve is formed of resilient material, it may be force fitted over the open end of a pipe with no special fittings or tools required. When used in connection with water softeners, it eliminates the need for a flow restriction in the drain which cause a back pressure during the recharging operation or the brine drawing cycle,

and the valve thereby increases the efficiency of the softener. The employment of this valve also eliminates the necessity of a diverter or strainer at the top of the tank. Also, the valve has the advantage of being self-cleaning since any foreign matter which might have lodged within the passageway 4d during the reverse flow is immediately removed by the flow in the outward direction.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid flow restricting device comprising a body formed of resilient material and having a liquid opening therein terminating adjacent a closed end, said body having a slit extending substantially normal to the axis of said opening and in intersecting relation to said opening and terminating in said body adjacent one side of said opening to form a flap including said end and integrally connected to said body movable outwardly to provide for diffused fan-like flow of liquid outwardly from said opening through said slit, means in said body defining a passageway formed in the interfaces of said slit and ex- (fl tending into said opening providing for liquid flow from: outside said body into said opening, and said flap forming a wall of said passageway deformable under increasing liquid pressure on the outer surface thereof to restrict the cross section of said passageway to provide a regulated reverse flow from outside said body into said opening.

2. A liquid flow restricting device comprising a body formed of resilient material and having a liquid opening therein formed through an inner end thereof and terminating adjacent a closed outer end thereof, said body being adapted for force-fitting over the open end of a pipe at said opening, said body having a slit extending substantially normal to the axis of said opening and in intersecting relation to said opening adjacent said outer end and terminating in said body adjacent one side of said opening to form a flap movable outwardly to provide for diffused fan-like fiow of liquid outwardly from such pipe through said slit, means in said body defining a generally radially disposed passageway formed in the interfaces of said slit and extending into said opening to provide for liquid flow through said body into such pipe, and said flap forming a wall of said passageway and being deformable under increasing liquid pressure on the outer surface thereof to restrict the cross section of said passageway to provide a substantially constant reverse fiow into such pipe.

3. A liquid flow restricting device comprising a body formed of resilient material and having an opening therein formed through an inner end thereof and terminating adjacent a closed outer end thereof, said body having walls adapted for force-fitting over the open end of a pipe at said opening, said body having a slit extending transversely thereof in intersecting relation to said opening adjacent an outer end thereof to form a flap movable outwardly to provide for substantially unrestricted flow of liquid outwardly from such pipe through said slit, means in said body defining a radially disposed generally V- shaped notch formed in the interfaces of said slit and extending into said opening to provide for liquid flow through said body into such pipe, and said flap forming a wall of said notch and being deformable under increasing liquid pressure on the outer surface thereof to restrict the cross section of said notch and to provide a substantially constant reverse flow into such pipe.

4. A backwash water flow control valve for Water softeners, comprising a molded body of resilient material having an inlet water opening therein formed through an inner end thereof, said body having walls adapted for force-fitting over the open end of a water softener inlet pipe at said opening, a counterbore in said body forming a shoulder defining the extent of the assembled position of said valve on such pipe, said body having a slit extending transversely thereof in intersecting relation to said counterbore adjacent the outer end of said body to form a flap movable outwardly to provide for substantially unrestricted diffused flow of water outwardly from such pipe through said slit into said softener, means in said body defining at least one generally radially disposed passageway formed in the interfaces of said slit and extending into said opening providing for backwash water flow through said body into such inlet pipe, and said flap forming a wall of said passageway and being deformable under the backwash water pressure on the outer surface thereof to restrict the cross section of said passageway and to provide a substantially constant backwash flow into such pipe.

5. A backwash water flow control valve for water softeners, comprising a molded body of resilient material having an inlet water opening therein formed through an inner end thereof, said body having walls adapted for force-fitting over the open end of a water softener inlet pipe at said opening, a counterbore in said body forming a shoulder defining the extent of the assembled position of said valve on such pipe, said body having a slit ex tending transversely thereof in intersecting relation to said counterbore adjacent the outer end of said body to form a flap movable outwardly to provide for substantially unrestricted dilfused flow of water outwardly from such pipe through said slit into said softener, means in said body defining at least one generally radially disposed V- 5 notch formed in the interfaces of said slit and extending into said opening providing for backwash water flow through said body into such inlet pipe with the adjacent 2,082,972 surface of said flap forming a wall of said notch, and said ,9 ,3 flap wall being deformable under the backwash water 10 2,954,640

pipe.

pressure to restrict the cross section of said notch and to provide a substantially constant backwash flow into such References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Perry June 8, 1937 Fraser Aug. 9, 1960 Catalano et al Oct. 4, 1960 

